In Galatians 5:22 we find mentioned the fruit of the Spirit.
Notice very carefully that this does not say the "fruits"
of the Spirit. Each of these graces or qualities is a portion
of one "fruit." Oftentimes people erroneously teach
that soul winning is only one of the fruits and try to prove
their point with Galatians 5:22. You will notice, however, that
soul winning is not a part of the fruit of the Spirit. Neither
is it a part of the gifts of the Spirit. Every Christian is to
be a soul winner.

Let's use the simple illustration of a fire department. Every
fireman is to put out fires, but there is a certain way that
firemen should behave. They should have clean uniforms and clean
fire trucks. They should know the streets of the city. They should
be courteous. They should be physically strong, etc. No one,
however, would say that a fireman should spend all of his time
doing calisthenics just to be physically strong. Neither would
one say that having a clean uniform would substitute for putting
out fires. It is understood that every fireman is to put out
fires, but there are some things that firemen should do as they
put out fires and as firemen.

The Great Commission, "Go ye into all the world, and
preach the gospel to every creature," is given to every
Christian. Soul winning is not one of the gifts; it is every
Christian's job. However, as we win folks to Christ, there is
a fruit that we are to have, and that fruit is the fruit of the
Spirit as mentioned in Galatians 5. As we go soul winning we
are to have love. As we go soul winning we are to have meekness.
As we go soul winning we are to have joy, etc.

One part of this fruit is gentleness. Gentleness is not a
substitute for soul winning, but is a supplement for soul winning.
In other words, we are to be gentle as we serve God.

If a person refuses to obey Christ in carrying out the Great
Commission, he will have to find a synthetic fruit. One who works
mainly at having love will have a synthetic kind of love. One
who works mainly at having any part of the fruit of the Spirit
will find it something that is tacked on and not built-in. When
one gets the fulness of the Holy Spirit for soul winning, he
will then have an inbred fruit of the Spirit. This kind will
not fail him in a crisis. It is a part of him. Such is the case
about gentleness.

1. There are several words in the Greek which are translated
"gentleness." One is a word which comes from two words
which mean "into" and "fitting." Putting
them together we come up with "fitting into" or better
still, "appropriate." We must learn to be appropriate.
This would include manners, ethics, etc. Christian people should
know how to dress to fit the occasion. They should know the proper
eating manners and social graces. They should learn to be appropriate.

Much care should be taken that in teaching such things we
do not rear children to become "snobs." The having
of manners should not be an end in itself but rather a means
to an end. We must remember that manners are only customs. The
Japanese sits on the floor while he eats. When eating in a Japanese
home one should do likewise. To set a strict, rigid rule for
manners is unwise. All such things are relative and one should
be more interested in being appropriate than in adhering to a
rigid set of rules that make him offensive. However, one should
know what is considered proper and be able and willing to be
appropriate as long as being appropriate does not mean the giving
up of conviction.

I was in a certain home recently as a guest at a meal. It
was a poor home and one inhabited by godly people, yet people
who did not know what normally would be considered good manners.
The head of the house grabbed the fork in one hand, the knife
in the other, put his elbows on the table, lowered his mouth
three or four inches from the plate and began to "shovel
it in." Now I was not equipped with the talent necessary
to copy him. I did, however, ask if he would give me permission
to divide my biscuit and sop the gravy. (Now in most circles
this would not be proper.) Not only did he give me permission,
but he said, "You are a regular fellow. I like you! You
are not like most preachers!"

The story is told that Abraham Lincoln was once eating at
a formal banquet when a fellow next to him poured his coffee
into his saucer and drank from the saucer. The elite audience
was shocked at such a gesture. Abraham Lincoln realized the man's
embarrassment and likewise poured his coffee into his saucer
and began to drink from it. Perhaps the greatness of Abraham
Lincoln is manifested in such acts as this as well as in his
statesmanship and leadership.

I have often thought that perhaps real education is knowing
enough to fit into any situation that is moral and not feel uncomfortable
or cause others to feel uncomfortable. If one's education allows
him only to behave with the educated, he is yet lacking. On the
other hand, for one to be unwilling because of prejudice to know
how to fit in gracefully with the educated also shows a sign
of character deficiency. We must remember, however, that the
purpose of all of this is not that we be good appropriate people.
This in itself would be an unholy motive. We must remember the
purpose is that all classes of people need help, and by learning
the true meaning of the word "gentleness" we may not
only be able to reach all but also to help all.

The rich man needs help as well as the poor. The elite one
needs help as much as the uncouth. The up-and-outers need help
as well as the down-and-outers.

I tell my boy that I want him to be at home on the ball field,
when company comes, at church, at a symphony concert, or at the
fishing hole. Appropriate manners, appropriate dress, appropriate
conversation, etc. should be a vital part of every child's education.
One would not want to wear a tuxedo on a fishing trip. Neither
would he want to wear a leather jacket to a wedding.

This is the first use of gentleness in the Bible. this particular
word is found in Titus 3:2, To speak evil of no man, to be no
brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men."

2. There is another word translated "gentleness"
in the Bible. This could be called "firm care." This
is found in II Timothy 2:24, "And the servant of the Lord
must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient."
Gentleness is not weakness. It is not even what the average person
calls meekness. It is not softness. Gentleness is firmness. Gentleness
is strength. It is love wrapped in character. It is as the nurse
with the child. She does not yield to the child's whims but loves
the child enough to be firm to do things for the healing of the
child. Gentleness is the teacher handling the slow student. It
is not the overlooking of the student's weaknesses, but the firm
leadership of the student that he may do better. Gentleness is
the parent handling the trying child. It is disciplining with
a tear for the good of the child. This is the reason that a child
needs a mother and dad. The softness of a mother with the firmness
of a father are chosen by God to be used as a beautiful blend
in the rearing of children.

3. Still another word used in the New Testament for gentleness
could be translated "evenness." We have learned as
we have discussed the subject of meekness that meekness is not
looking down upon or up to anyone, not thinking ourselves better
or worse than anyone, not thinking of ourselves at all, but looking
at everyone equally. Now gentleness could be called "the
acting out of meekness." Meekness is the feeling that we
have to all men; gentleness is the acting out of that feeling.
It is the laboratory of the theory of meekness. In other words,
there should be an evenness about our handling of people. We
should be as nice to the poor as to the rich. We should be as
courteous to those who need our help as to those who help us.

How can we do this and live Bible gentleness? First, we can
learn to know all types of people. For a person to become a well-rounded,
gentle Christian, he must learn to walk with the illiterate and
also with the scholar without feeling uneasy or causing uneasiness.
To do this one must plan to rub shoulders with all classes in
order that he may know their needs, their heartbreaks, their
sorrows, their joys, their victories, and their defeats. For
one to limit his contacts to any certain class of people is to
limit his opportunity to help people.

Then one must learn to do many things. The pianist could well
afford to learn to play sports. The sportsman could wisely learn
something about music. One's interest must be varied if he is
to help people in all walks of life.

We should also read a variety of things. For many years now
I have read such magazines as the Nation's Business, National
Geographic, Reader's Digest, and even Better Homes and Gardens.
(Yes, you read it right.) I have read sports magazines and other
educational publications. All of this is simply to reach people
and help people in all walks of life. Since I have tried to help
so many ladies, I should know something of their interests. Since
I want to help businessmen, I must know something of the business
and economic condition of our nation.

There are many other things that would lead a person to be
able to help people in all walks of life and all classes. It
is important, for example, that every child be influenced by
a mother and father. It is important that we learn to keep our
hobbies as hobbies and not get the cart before the horse. And
of course, it is important that we walk daily with Him. He could
talk to a ruler one day and a fallen woman at the well another.
He could speak intelligently about bread to the baker, about
the stars to the astrologer, about water to the woman, about
a vine to the husbandman, about truth to the philosopher, about
sheep to the shepherd, about plowing to the farmer, about mediation
to lawyer, about fishing to the fisherman, and about marriage
to the lover. He is our example of gentleness.